


Burning House

by LotharWinchester



Series: Fallout Snippets/ Shorts [2]
Category: Fallout (Video Games), Fallout 4
Genre: F/M, Not Beta Read, implied that Danse was in the BOS for over a decade, slight AU
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-02-19
Updated: 2016-02-19
Packaged: 2018-05-21 15:31:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 854
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6056809
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LotharWinchester/pseuds/LotharWinchester
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>the Sole Survivor struggles to let go of her past to keep what she's built.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Burning House

**Author's Note:**

> disclaimer: i don't own Fallout, Bethesda does. nor do I own the song "Burning House" by Cam that it's inspired by. 
> 
> song: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tzB3JB-0zk4

Sole inhaled as memories of her Pre-war life flashed by her fingertips.  She desperately clawed for every precious moment with Nate; their first kiss, first time, and everything in-between.  Her fingertips ached as they slipped through. Tears streamed down her faced as she screamed out for her husband.

The only one that stuck was the memory she wanted to forget. The day the bombs fell flitted by as if she had pressed fast forward until they stood on the platform that would lower them into Vault 111.

 _“We’re safe now,”_ Nate whispered as he cradled Shaun in one hand, _“It’s alright.”_

Sole swallowed as she stared into Nate’s emerald eyes before he stepped towards the intake doctors. She wanted to scream that they were going to be frozen, that he was going to die here and not on some Commie battle field like he thought he was going to.  Sole wanted to hold him close and tell him that she loved him. More than anything.

She swallowed thickly as routine sounds from the vault echoed in her ears. The only thing that kept her from hyperventilating was the view of Nate’s strong shoulders and back clothed in blue in front of her. When they slipped into their pods, she screamed and banged against the cold glass.

 -

When Sole opened her eyes again, it was the third time in her life she’d seen Nate die.  How hard he struggled with his frozen muscles to protect Shaun. The choked off noise of her name as Kellog’s bullet ripped through his forehead sliced through her. The final death reflex of his ring hand reaching towards her burned like dry ice.   


Before she could get a hold on the images flashing by her damp eyes, the memory burned away  and she was holding Nate close to her chest. His ruggedly handsome face pressed along her cheek and she clutched his thick frame to her chest to assure herself he was there. 

“Nate…”

* * *

 

_“Nate..”_

Danse’s rough hand slid through his bangs as he watched her lips form her dead husband’s name.  


He had never wanted it to be that way, but Nate had become a point of contention in their relationship. Each time they’d made love, excluding their first night in Sanctuary together, Sole had called him Nate.  It had gotten to the point where he could no longer lay next to her with the certainty that she truly had feelings for him. That he wasn’t just a replacement for Nate, the war hero and the first love of Sole’s life. He’d said that much to her.  And he regretted it.

\--

“Danse _, what._.?”  Sole moaned as the former Brotherhood Paladin pulled away from her as she peaked.  He couldn’t take it anymore.

“You did it again.” the words ground out with hinted malice before he could stop them. He slid his underwear on and his torn Wastelander jeans before Sole had even sat up.  His desire had long since faded making it an easy task.

“I’m sorry.” Danse refused to look back at her this time. He let the view of his strong bare back against the morning sun keep her company. _This is the twelfth time she’s called out his name…_

“I can’t do this if I’m replacing him, Sole.”  Her sharp inhale seized his heart and almost made him turn around.  Thick fingers quickly went to work sliding the buckles of his ammo pouch and holster to his hips.

“You’re not.” Sole whispered as he slid a leather jacket over his bare shoulders. “You’re not, Danse.”

“What is it then?” Danse growled low in his throat, “Did you lie to me at Bravo?” He watched as she furiously shook her head and grabbed the lapels of his jacket. “Have..” Danse swallowed thickly as his shoulders sagged, “Have you been lying to me this entire time?”   _Do you think I’m just a machine? That I can’t feel…_

“No!”  He turned away from her tears and made his way towards the front door. _Why didn’t I see this before? Were even living in **his** old house._

“ _Please._.”

His right hand fisted the old doorknob and he exhaled at the feel of the metal rings in his pants pocket.  Danse swallowed back the tears that were starting to form. He needed space and fresh air.

“Please don’t go.” Sole’s voice hitched as her slender hand slid into his left. “Don’t leave.”

He had already pulled the door open but he forced himself to turn back and look at her. Just in case this was the last time. Disappointment surged from his stomach and filled his chest.

She was scared, he’d even dare to say broken, but he could tell she wasn’t thinking of him. He’d heard how she’d begged Nate not to leave on his last tour like this and he knew that’s what she was seeing now. Not him.

He leaned down and pulled her into a long, gentle kiss. It felt like their last.

“I love you.”  Danse knew it sounded more like goodbye as he released her hand from his grip and closed the door behind him.


End file.
